Zayb Khan’s Tutoring
Drill Answer Key — Math
Solutions
1. Solve for x : log3 (2x + 5) = 4.
Rewrite in exponential form: 2x + 5 = 34 . Compute 34 = 81. So 2x + 5 = 81 ⇒ 2x = 76 ⇒
x = 38.
2. Simplify: log(5x) − log(x).
5x
Use the log quotient rule: log(5x) − log(x) = log x
= log(5). (Valid for x > 0.)
3. The graph of y = f (x) shifts to y = f (x − 3) + 4. State the transformation.
Inside argument x − 3 means a horizontal shift right by 3. The +4 outside means a vertical
shift up by 4. So: shift right 3, then up 4.
4. For g(x) = −2 f (3x), describe vertical/horizontal dilations and reflections.
Break it down:
• f (3x): horizontal compression by factor 1/3 (inputs are scaled by 3).
• Multiplying by −2: vertical stretch by factor 2 and reflection across the x-axis (the
negative sign reflects).
Order of effect on a point (x, y): horizontally compress, evaluate f , then reflect and stretch
the y-value.
5. Arithmetic sequence: a1 = 7, d = 5. Find a20 .
Formula: an = a1 + (n − 1)d. So
a20 = 7 + (20 − 1)(5) = 7 + 19 · 5 = 7 + 95 = 102.
6. Geometric sequence: a1 = 3, r = 2. Find a8 .
Formula: an = a1 r n−1 . Thus
a8 = 3 · 27 = 3 · 128 = 384.
7. Exponential growth: population grows 8% per year. Write formula with initial value P0 .
1
An 8% yearly growth factor is 1 + 0.08 = 1.08. So
P (t) = P0 (1.08)t ,
where t is years.
8. Solve 500(1.05)t = 800 for t.
Divide both sides by 500:
800
(1.05)t = = 1.6.
500
Take natural logs:
ln(1.6)
t ln(1.05) = ln(1.6) ⇒ t= .
ln(1.05)
Calculating (approx):
ln(1.6) ≈ 0.470004, ln(1.05) ≈ 0.048790,
so
0.470004
t≈ ≈ 9.63 years.
0.048790
3x − 1
9. Find the inverse of f (x) = .
2
3x − 1 3y − 1
Set y = . Swap x and y: x = . Solve for y:
2 2
2x + 1
2x = 3y − 1 ⇒ 3y = 2x + 1 ⇒ y= .
3
2x + 1
Thus f −1 (x) = .
3
10. If f (x) = x2 + 4 on domain x ≥ 0, find f −1 (13).
√
Solve y = x2 + 4 for x: x = y − 4 (since x ≥ 0). Set y = 13:
√ √
x = 13 − 4 = 9 = 3.
So f −1 (13) = 3.
11. A store reduces a price by 30% then increases it by 40%. What is the overall percent
change?
Use multipliers: reduction by 30% multiplies by 0.70. Then increase by 40% multiplies by
1.40. Net multiplier:
0.70 × 1.40 = 0.98.
This is 98% of original ⇒ net change is a 2% decrease.
12. A quantity increases 20% three years in a row. What is the multiplier?
2
Each year multiplies by 1.20. After three years multiply by (1.20)3 :
(1.20)3 = 1.728.
So the multiplier is 1.728 (a 72.8% total increase).
13. Evaluate 2 log 5 + log 4 (log base 10 assumed).
Use properties:
2 log 5 + log 4 = log(52 ) + log 4 = log(25) + log 4 = log(100) = 2.
14. Find the range of y = −3|x − 2| + 7.
This is an absolute-value graph with vertex at (2, 7). The coefficient −3 flips the V downward
and stretches vertically by 3. As |x−2| → ∞, the −3|x−2| term → −∞. Thus the maximum
value is at the vertex: ymax = 7. There is no lower bound, so the range is
(−∞, 7].
√
15. If h(x) = 2x − 4, state the domain.
Inside the square root must be ≥ 0:
2x − 4 ≥ 0 ⇒ 2x ≥ 4 ⇒ x ≥ 2.
Domain: [2, ∞).
16. Find the distance between the roots of x2 − 10x + 16 = 0.
Find roots using quadratic formula or factoring. Try factoring:
x2 − 10x + 16 = (x − 8)(x − 2),
so roots are x = 8 and x = 2. Distance between them: 8 − 2 = 6.
17. Solve the system (
y = 2x
y = 3x + 1
(estimate solution).
We need 2x = 3x + 1. Use iterative testing to bracket and refine:
• x = 3 : 23 = 8, 3 · 3 + 1 = 10 ⇒ 8 < 10.
• x = 4 : 24 = 16, 3 · 4 + 1 = 13 ⇒ 16 > 13.
3
So a root lies between 3 and 4. Refine:
x = 3.5 : 23.5 ≈ 11.3137, 3(3.5) + 1 = 11.5 ⇒ 11.3137 < 11.5.
x = 3.55 : 23.55 ≈ 11.648, 3(3.55) + 1 = 11.65 ⇒ 11.648 ≲ 11.65.
So they are very close near x ≈ 3.55. A reasonable estimate to two decimal places is
x ≈ 3.55 .
(If higher precision is required, one can apply Newton’s method or a calculator.)
18. A geometric sequence has a4 = 80 and ratio r = 2. Find a1 .
General term: an = a1 r n−1 . For n = 4:
80
80 = a1 · 23 = a1 · 8 ⇒ a1 = = 10.
8
f (x + 1)
19. If f (x) = 3x , compute .
f (x)
f (x + 1) 3x+1
= x = 3(x+1)−x = 31 = 3.
f (x) 3
20. A salary increases from $50,000 to $57,500. Find percent increase.
Absolute increase: 57,500 − 50,000 = 7,500. Percent increase relative to original:
7,500
= 0.15 = 15%.
50,000